2015 Recruiting Season is in full swing

[DMAC]

BTW, this could be Malik related. Mack and MJ communicate often. Maybe MJ had some good things to say about Texas?

I really hope you are right.  The talk of MJ going to UCLA has bummed me out this weekend.  I want MJ, Kirkland, Townsend, Hagar, and Cherry to all sign with Texas.

Anymore news on Newsome?  

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I really hope you are right.  The talk of MJ going to UCLA has bummed me out this weekend.  I want MJ, Kirkland, Townsend, Hagar, and Cherry to all sign with Texas.

Anymore news on Newsome?  

Everything I've heard and read points to a commitment from Newsome. Question is when.

So, a good friend of his in Kirkland will be a mid term enrollee and is expected to announce by end of month. So I suspect we'll see Newsome pull the trigger at the same time or shortly before.

I've heard J Gray has warned Newsome to hurry up before the class fills up.

 

[Juan]

Here is some Scout stuff on Kirkland

Scout makes nice short films on recruits, alternating playing clips with the recruit describing himself -- worth a look -- i cannot embed the vid, but they desrve the click anyways  http://texas.scout.com/story/1486964-scout-spotlight-darrin-kirkland#.VIWzE24gUjM.twitter

"Very smart, instinctive player who always seems to be in good position and around the football. Takes good angles to the ball, rarely takes false steps and shows good closing ability. Has gotten stronger and thicker over the last year and needs to continue to do that." - Allen Trieu

 
 

 

[BevoBlake]

John Burt is still going to take his OV to Texas. Slated for January. This could bode well for Texas.

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011


"Justin Martin to visit Texas"
Four-star Northeast Oklahoma A&M cornerback Justin Martin is continuing to map out his official visit schedule and he's locked in a fourth official visit. Previously, Martin had set up officials with LSU, Georgia and Tennessee in January. Now Martin has added Texas to the schedule. The 6-2, 190-pound cornerback will be visiting Texas officailly this weekend for his first official visit. He has also re-arranged his January officials.
 
Martin was originally scheduled to give Tennessee his last official visit with LSU getting an official the weekend before. Martin has now decided to flip those weekends with LSU getting the Jan 30 weekend and Tennessee hosting him on the weekend of Jan. 23.
 
Martin is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 1 cornerback in the junior college ranks.
 
— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Juan]

John Burt is still going to take his OV to Texas. Slated for January. This could bode well for Texas.

saw this new pic of him

 

[Juan]

OT Brandon Hodges got recent offer from MSU (in his home state) but says we still lead.

He is taking one more OV to Missouri this weekend.

He graduates in Dec so the decision will be soon.  We should hold.

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Hiphopopotamos]

Per 247: Cherry has officially Decommitted from Tennessee

Fla. LB Cherry decommits from Vols82 minutes ago
Three-star senior linebacker Cecil Cherry of Victory Christian Academy in Lakeland, Fla., confirmed Monday that he has decommitted from Tennessee.

(Photo: Greg Oyster, 247Sports)The 6-foot, 230-pound Cherry, who had been committed to the Vols since June 2013, made his decision official less than three weeks after he told 247Sports that he planned to decommit from Tennessee. He took an official visit to Texas on Nov. 8 and has been giving strong consideration to the Longhorns since then, and they're now believed to be the favorites to land him.

The Vols are left with 25 known commitments for the 2015 class.

Cherry, who's planning to announce his final decision on National Signing Day, is ranked the nation's No. 404 overall prospect and No. 11 inside linebacker in the 247Sports Composite.

http://texas.247sports.com/Bolt/Fla-LB-Cherry-decommits-from-Vols-33680422

FWIW - Tenn fans are convinced the Vols had already dropped Cherry because they are getting Kirkland Jr.

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Hiphopopotamos]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

If he doesn't reschedule.  Again. 

Heres hoping he doesn't bump us to fit in a TCU visit.

 

[Hiphopopotamos]

One more recruit Texas is after - going off the grid until he announces:

[tweets=[URL="https://twitter.com/Clark8Chris/status/542025605890723840%27%5D"]https://twitter.com/Clark8Chris/status/542025605890723840][/URL]

 

[Juan]

 

[texasdalton]

Coffee is for closers

 

[Agmaniacmike]

Credit to your staff on attacking Florida hard and getting on those Michigan commits early. I get the feeling we'll both have top 10 classes when things are all said and done.

 

[DMAC]

FWIW - Tenn fans are convinced the Vols had already dropped Cherry because they are getting Kirkland Jr.

I hope the Vols get disappointed a second time.  

 

[Juan]

I hope the Vols get disappointed a second time.  

Here is Scipio on the LBs, and a couple other positons

http://www.barkingcarnival.com/2014/12/8/7354679/2015-texas-longhorns-football-recruiting-coffee-is-for-closers

LB

Three outstanding prospects remain on the board in Indiana ILB Darrin Kirkland, Mesquite standout OLB Malik Jefferson and Florida hit man ILB Cecil Cherry.  Jefferson is as good as it gets, Kirkland is a big-time national recruit and Cherry is an evil thumper.  We'll land one of them.  Two is very possible.  Skyline's Anthony Wheeler seems to have cooled.

WR

I don't think Burt ends up here.  If his late flirtation was with UCLA or Notre Dame I'd feel better.  Auburn. We've courted jitterbug slot Ryan Newsome for months, but I wonder if there has been a small element of slow play at work with rising sleepers like TCU commit JF Thomas and Florida product and Georgia commit Gilbert Johnson still out there. Or maybe both sides are just taking their time on sealing the inevitable.  In any event, we'll take Newsome and Thomas if we can. Thomas isn't wavering from his Frog commitment though.

TE

Big Michigan decommitment Chris Clark and Miami product Devonaire Clarington are legitimate possibilities (can't say the same for Gragg); big-time prospects that could contribute immediately.  Texas is in the final three of four for both. Landing one is crucial, but I fear this may be the position where we brick outright.  At least we won't have to read any recruiting write ups about the lack of TEs to recruit in Texas.  Strong and his staff did the impossible and traveled outside of Texas.  Planes and such.  Is that legal?

ATH

Malik Jefferson's versatile teammate DeAndre McNeal has suggested he'd like to attend the same school as Jefferson, but that's standard recruiting chatter.  Dynamic Tim Irvin plays bigger than his specs and could help the Longhorns at safety or on offense.  Hall of Famer Uncle Michael may not approve of a non-Florida destination though, no matter what Luke Campbell recommends. Similarly, another Florida product, Jordan Cronkrite, could play a number of positions, though he seems to prefer the ball in his hands at RB.  Seems unlikely.

Soso Jamabo seems like a pipe dream.

We'd gladly take any of these guys.

Final Thoughts

- This staff needs to show closing ability to fuel buy-in and establish credibility.  A floundering finish on the trail paired with a bowl loss makes for tough off-season headwinds.

- It's 1100 miles as the crow flies from Miami to Austin.  That's longer than Miami to Columbus, OH, much less the SEC or ACC.  Just sayin'.

- Texas fans haven't seen it in a very long time, but securing a couple of key high profile commitments late in the process can capture fence sitters with a palpable sense of momentum and guarantee against late defections, raising a respectable class ranked in the teens well into the single digits.  Alternatively, recruiting isn't horseshoes.  Being in the mix is nice, but it's winner-takes-all.

- CB, LB, TE, a DT and the right short term solution QB are glaring needs.  Nail them all and Texas fans should feel rightfully giddy.

 

[DMAC]

Good stuff Juan 

I think we get Cherry.  It will be like Christmas if we can get MJ or Kirkland.  Doubt we land both though.

 

[Juan]

LB Darrin Kirkland, Jr.after his OV:
 
“Me and my family enjoyed being down on the 40 acres spending time with Coach Strong and the rest of the staff."
 
“I can see them doing really well (in the future). Coach Strong is doing everything he needs to do. His track record is proven from when he was at Louisville and the steps he made are identical at Texas. They have a big test coming into bowl season with Arkansas and they’re excited about that. Coach Strong has something special going in Austin and he’s working to bring it back to where it needs to be.â€
 
“Really academically how strong they are,†Kirkland said of the biggest take away from his trip. “The side of academics opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities I could have down there and it was really interesting to see.â€
 
“Their business school is Top 10 in the country and it was nice to learn more about it and tour it.â€
 
“Great guys.  He (his host Hicks) was definitely my type of guy. Him actually being from Cincinnati, we found out we actually knew his family. It was great seeing him out there. I felt we were identical the way we present ourselves and it was cool to be around them all weekend.â€
 
“Texas fits in well with the four schools and this visit made my decision process harder.â€
 
via 247
 

 

[MikeV73]

LB Darrin Kirkland, Jr.after his OV:

“Me and my family enjoyed being down on the 40 acres spending time with Coach Strong and the rest of the staff."

“I can see them doing really well (in the future). Coach Strong is doing everything he needs to do. His track record is proven from when he was at Louisville and the steps he made are identical at Texas. They have a big test coming into bowl season with Arkansas and they’re excited about that. Coach Strong has something special going in Austin and he’s working to bring it back to where it needs to be.â€

“Really academically how strong they are,†Kirkland said of the biggest take away from his trip. “The side of academics opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities I could have down there and it was really interesting to see.â€

“Their business school is Top 10 in the country and it was nice to learn more about it and tour it.â€

“Great guys. He (his host Hicks) was definitely my type of guy. Him actually being from Cincinnati, we found out we actually knew his family. It was great seeing him out there. I felt we were identical the way we present ourselves and it was cool to be around them all weekend.â€

“Texas fits in well with the four schools and this visit made my decision process harder.â€

via 247

Too bad his decision was not made easier by his visit to the 40 acres! Pick Texas please. Sorry about the begging.